Literary References in Philosophical Works of Karol Libelt as an Example of the 19th-Century Comparatist Thinking

Abstract

The topic of the paper is the occurrence of literary references (quotations, allusions, paraphrases) in philosophical works of the 19th century philosopher Karol Libelt. The study examines theoretical considerations (included by the scholar in his dissertations) on the connections between philosophy and literature. It also describes the scholar’s attitude towards Polish Romantic poetry. Literary references to the works of poets such as Krasicki, Karpiński, Krasiński, Pol, Zaleski, or Mickiewicz are subject to analysis and interpretation. These have been acknowledged as one of the crucial elements of Slavic philosophy, and as an indicator of the Romantic model within the philosophy of history. The references to literary works have also been recognized as a sign of the philosopher’s comparatist line of thought, resembling in its structure that of Goethe’s.